Stencil holding tray



March 1934- H. P. ELLIOTT STENCIL HOLDING TRAY Filed April 1, 1932jzvverz'i'bi Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE Claims.

This invention relates to a filing tray for holding a collection ofstencils or printing plates adapted for use in a stencil printing oraddressing machine.

The tray with which this invention is particularly concerned has achannel which extends lengthwise of the tray, below and betweenstencilsupporting ledges at the sides of the tray, and into whichchannel a blade of a stencil holder of the stencil printing machine isadapted to be inserted for the purpose of guiding the entire collectionof stencils in the tray to enter the holder as a unit. The channel isrelatively narrow compared with the width of the tray, and hence thetray, heretofore, has been unstable when resting upon a flat surface, asa table, and could rock and tilt sidewise thereon, thereby tending tospill the stencils.

.It is an object of the present invention tov provide a tray, having theconstruction above described, with means by which the tray can rest in astable mannerupon a flat surface and by which the tray is prevented fromrocking or tilting sidewise.

Specifically, this object is attained by providing the tray with a frontwall that has a straight bottom edge that extends transversely of thetray, on opposite sides of and transversely beyond the channel thereonand is, in effect, substantially coextensive with the width of the trayso that it can provide a long transverse line of support for the tray,and thereby prevent the tray from rocking or tilting sidewise. Suchconstruction constitutes a further object of the invention.

A further object of the invention is generally to improve theconstruction of trays for the printing devices, or stencils, of printingor addressing machines.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tray embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the tray of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the tray, taken along line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail taken along line 33 of Fig. 2 andillustrating in particular the manner of connecting the bottom of thefront wall to the bottom wall of the tray.

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail illustrating the manner of'connecting thefront wall to the side wall of the tray.

The major portion of the tray embodying the present invention is madefrom a single metal sheet having relatively refiexed portions whichprovide the bottom wall 10, the upstanding side portions 12 at theopposite sides of the bottom wall, the horizontal shelves or ledges 14which extend outwardly in opposite directions from the tops of the sideportions, and the vertical sides 16 which rise from the outer edges ofthe ledges, the sheet at the tops of the sides being curled over toprovide longitudinal side-stiffening beads 00 18. The front and rearends of the sides 16 are provided with integral front and rear ears 20and 22 respectively which are integral with the sides and are reflexedinwardly over the ends of the ledges 14 and have integral tabs 24 whichare 05 refiexed against and are secured to the under faces of theledges. The ends of the ledges are also provided with tabs 26 which arereflexed upwardly against and are secured to the outer faces of the earswhereby, through said ears, rigidly [0 to connect said ledges and sides.Said ears also form end-members which retain in the tray the collectionof stencils which are located in upright position inthe tray with theirbottom edges resting upon the ledges and overlying and spaced above thebottom wall 10 of the tray. The edges 28 of the bottom wall 10 and sideportions 12 are reflexed upon said wall and side portions as indicatedespecially in Figs. 2 and. 3 to form smooth edges and strengthening ribsat the ends. 30

The longitudinal space or channel 30 above the bottom wall 10 andbetween the side portions 12 and under the tops of the ledges 14 isadapted to receive the blade of the stencil holder of a stencil printingor addressing machine, so that the entire 5 collection of stencils inthe tray can be removed therefrom and located in the holder as a unit.With this necessary feature of the construction, the bottom wall 10 isrelativelynarrow, transversely of the tray, in comparison with the widthof the tray and hence the tray is relatively free to rock or tiltsidewise when placed upon a fiat support 32 so that under certainconditions there is a tendency for the stencils to spill out of thetray. To prevent the tray from rocking or tilting side- 5 wise I haveprovided the tray at its front end with a supporting member whichextends transversely of the tray on opposite sides beyond the line ofsaid bottom wall 12 and also preferably, although not necessarily,laterally beyond the sides 16 and has provision for engagement with thesupporting surface 32 thereat, thus providing a transverse support of anextent considerably greater than the width of the bottom wall andsupport to hold the tray against rocking or tilting onthe support. I

Said supporting member comprises a vertical rectangular flat plate 34which is secured against the front end of the tray and forms the frontwall thereof. Said plate preferably is wider than the width of the trayand extends laterally in 11 both directions therebeyond. The bottom edge36 of the plate is straight and parallel with the bottom wall of thetray and is located generally in the plane of said wall and can rest forits full length upon the support 32. The plate preferably extends abovethe tray at least as high as the stencils therein. The edges of theplate are curled over the front face thereof to provide smooth edges andreinforcing beads. The plate is secured to the front ears 20 of the trayby rivets 38 passed therethrough. The plate, at the bottom middleportion thereof, is also secured to the tray. For this purpose a lip 40is struck out of the front portion of the bottom wall 10 of the tray,leaving an aperture 42 therein; and the lip is refiexed over the frontedge of the bottom wall and upstands above it in the vertical plane ofthe front ears 20 and is secured to the plate 34 by a rivet 44.

The front face of the plate 34 has a plate 46 secured thereto that has abottom section 48 and upstanding opposed side sections 50 that arespaced in part away from the plate 34 to provide a generally U-shapedrecess 52 adapted removably to receive a suitable index card. Said plate46 also has, integral with the bottom section 48, a forwardly-extendeddownwardly-curved tab 54 that constitutes a handle by which the tray canbe pulled forwardly out of a cabinet.

With the construction above described, the plate 34 provides a lateralsupport of sufficient extent, on opposite sides of the bottom wall 10,that effectively prevents the tray from rocking or tilting sidewise on asupport. Many of the other described features of construction areconsidered novel and advantageous, also.

I claim:

1. A. stencil holding tray comprising a transversely narrow bottom wall,stencil holding shelves located above and on opposite sides of andextended transversely beyond said bottom wall, side walls rising abovesaid shelves at the sides thereof, the space above said bottom wall andunder and between said shelves being open at one end of the tray, andmeans to support the tray against tilting sidewise on said nar ow bottomwall comprising a flat rectangular end wall perpendicular to andoverlying one end of said bottom wall and shelves and extended laterallyin opposite directions beyond said bottom wall and under said shelves,the lower edge of said wall being generally in the plane of said bottomwall and ears connecting said side walls and shelves at that end thereofconfronting said end wall, and means securing said end wall rigidly tosaid ears.

2. A stencil holding tray comprising a trans versely narrow bottom wall,stenoilholding shelves located above and on opposite sides of andextended transversely beyond said bottom wall, side walls rising abovesaid shelves at the sides thereof, ears integral with said side walls atthe ends thereof inwardly directed over the ends of said shelves andsecured thereto, and a front wall overlying one end of the trayincluding the shelves and secured thereto.

3. A stencil holding tray comprising a transversely narrow bottom wall,stencil holding shelves located above and on opposite sides of andextended transversely beyond said bottom wall, side walls rising abovesaid shelves at the side thereof, ears integral with said side walls atthe ends thereof inwardly directed over the ends of said shelves andsecured thereto, and a front wall overlying one end of the trayincluding the shelves and secured thereto, said front wall having alower edge which is located generally in the plane of said bottom walland extends in opposite directions laterally therebeyond under saidshelves.

4. A stencil holding tray comprising a transversely narrow bottom wall,stencil holding shelves located above and on opposite sides of andextended transversely beyond said bottom wall, side walls rising abovesaid shelves at the sides thereof, ears integral with said side walls atthe ends thereof inwardly directed over the I ends of said shelves andsecured thereto, and a front wall overlying one end of the trayincluding the shelves and secured thereto, said bottom wall at the frontend having a struck-out lip which is reflexed into position behind saidi" extended transversely beyond said bottom wall, 2

side walls rising above said shelves at the sides thereof, ears integralwith said side walls at the ends thereof inwardly directed over the endsof said shelves and secured thereto, and a front wall overlying one endof the tray and one set of ears and secured thereto, said bottom wall atthe front end having a struck-out lip which is reflexed into positionbehind said front wall and is secured thereto, said front wall having alower edge which is located generally in the plane of said bottom walland extends in opposite directions laterally therebeyond under saidshelves.

HARMON P. ELLIOTT.

